# Caddy vs NGINX

> Pick Caddy for automatic HTTPS and a short, readable config; pick NGINX for maximum control, a huge ecosystem of tutorials and proven high-traffic performance.

## Verdict

Caddy is the faster path to a secure site: certificates are obtained and renewed automatically and configs stay short. NGINX remains the industry standard with fine-grained tuning, a vast module and documentation ecosystem, and is what most hosting tutorials assume.

- Best for Caddy: Small teams and homelabs that want HTTPS with minimal config
- Best for NGINX: High-traffic production sites and teams that need fine-grained tuning

## Key differences

| Aspect | Caddy | NGINX |
|---|---|---|
| License | Apache-2.0 | BSD-2-Clause (NGINX Plus is a separate commercial product) |
| Language/stack | Go, memory-safe single binary | C, event-driven worker processes |
| Standout features | Automatic HTTPS, HTTP/3, JSON admin API for live config changes | Mature caching, load balancing, rate limiting and a large module ecosystem |
| TLS setup | Built in: certificates issued and renewed automatically | Manual: typically paired with Certbot or another ACME client |
| Learning curve | Low: a reverse proxy can be two lines | Moderate: verbose config blocks and directives to learn |

## GitHub numbers

| Metric | Caddy | NGINX |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | 77,243 | 31,800 |
| Forks | 5,079 | 8,308 |
| Commits, last 12 months | 331 | 283 |
| Last commit | Oct 5, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 |
| Latest release | v2.11.7 | release-1.31.6 |
| License | Apache-2.0 | BSD-2-Clause |
| License type | Open source | Open source |
| Language | Go | C |
| Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| Repository | https://github.com/caddyserver/caddy | https://github.com/nginx/nginx |

App pages: [Caddy](https://appsgit.com/apps/caddy), [NGINX](https://appsgit.com/apps/nginx)

## FAQ

### Is Caddy slower than NGINX?

NGINX is generally considered faster at extreme loads, but for most self-hosted apps both are far from being the bottleneck.

### Does NGINX do automatic HTTPS?

Not by default. You add an ACME client such as Certbot, or use a wrapper like Nginx Proxy Manager. Caddy does it automatically.

### Can I switch from NGINX to Caddy?

Yes. Most reverse proxy and static site configs translate into a much shorter Caddyfile, though advanced NGINX modules may have no direct equivalent.

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Canonical page: https://appsgit.com/compare/caddy-vs-nginx
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